Can you please explain what does the Bible teach about Sin? Specifically what is God?s view of Sin and the standard he expects from us?

Thank You,
Sarah.

Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:14 am

omarSite Admin

Joined: 30 Jul 2006Posts: 15

Post subject: Teaching of Sin from the Scriptures.

Thank you Sarah for asking your question.

Understanding of Sin is important as God has spoken much of it and there is much misunderstanding of what Sin is and what God expects of us. The dictionary describes Sin as a transgression of a religious or moral law. It is disobedience of a law, command or duty to the known will of God. We see that Scripture teaches:

Sin is going your own way. Prophets, Isaiah 53:6
Sin is lawlessness. Injeel, 1 John 3:4
All wrongdoing is sin. Injeel, 1 John 5:17
Anyone?who knows the good he ought to do and doesn?t do it, sins. Injeel, Jam. 4:17

So Sin is anything that does not agree with God. It is missing the ?mark? or standard that God has set for us. In the Hebrew the word is "chet" which means sin, faults, grievously, offences. Another Hebrew word for it is "Ciyn" whre we get our word "Sin". In the Greek, the word used for Sin is "hamartema", which has the same basic meaning.

Sin is primarily against God, see what scripture says when Joseph was tempted by his Egyptian Master?s wife:

? My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" Taurat, Genesis 39:9

So what is the standard God expects from us? Can we say that if we commit more righteous acts and fewer sinful acts, that it will be acceptable to God? Or is there a combination of more good deeds than evil deed combined with faith make us righteous? Let us see what God expects of us when it comes to the issue of Sin:

The LORD said to Moses, ?Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them? ?Be holy because I the LORD, your God, am holy. Taurat, Levitcus 19:1-2
"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Injeel, Matthew 5:48

Is this to mean that we are to be perfect and holy and not even commit one single sin? Could that be the expectation God has of us? Were not Adam and Eve banished from the Garden of Eden because of their single disobedience? Check this link for more details about Adam?s Sin. Note what God teaches further on this topic.

"If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell." Injeel, Matthew 18:8

Jesus makes it clear that God says that we must take the matter of sin so seriously that we should inflict so much pain upon ourselves so that we not commit sin. Note in the context it is not saying that others should execute judgment on us and cut off our hands or feet, but that we are consider no earthly comfort higher than avoidance of sin. What if we do not commit any sinful acts or deeds, but only had evil thoughts. Is that acceptable to a holy and perfect God? See what Jesus says in the scripture

"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Injeel, Mathew 5:27 - 28

This implies that we are to be perfect not only in action and deeds, but also in thought and intent. Giving room to an evil thought is considered sin. So God who made us and knows us best expects a standard of perfection as he is Holy and Perfect God.
What will happen to those who sin against God? The Word of God says,

What is death? Some think that to die is to cease existing; everything is finished and we no longer know anything. But if we rely on the Writings of the Prophets, we will see that this is not what death is. In the Holy Scriptures, in the Hebrew language in which it was written, death signifies separation. Death is separation from life. There are times in our lives when we unintentionally commit sin. Not that we desired to do it or willfully were disobedient, but simply it was unintentional. So what if the Sin was committed unintentionally, does God hold us guilty?

?If a member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD?s commands, he is guilty?, Taurat, Leviticus 4:27

But what if we do not remember or know the command does God treat that any different? Are we excused from being guilty if we forget something or were ignorant of what God has commanded us?

"If a person sins and does what is forbidden in the LORD'S commands, even though he does not know it, he is guilty and will be held responsible." Taurat, Leviticus 5:17

So it is clear that God does not treat any sin lightly, even an unintentional, forgetful or ignorant one. In addition, when it comes to sin, there is no distinction made if the sin is a minor offense or a major one. All sin has the pronouncement of guilt and thereby death and separation associated with it.